6: Supporting Opinions with Reasons

It is important to be able to express your opinion and support it with facts, details, and explanations. In American college classes, instructors will often ask you to “take a stand” and give reasons for your opinion. It is not so important that your opinion be the same as the instructor or your classmates. A strong writer will have strong, detailed, well-expressed support.

In this unit, we will write paragraphs that list reasons. Reasons are used to answer the question “Why?” You might be asked to explain a behavior using your observations and experiences. You may also be asked to agree or disagree with a statement and explain why you think that way.

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Practice 6A

Speak with a partner about the following statements. One of you must agree with each statement. The other person must disagree with the statement. Decide which of you will agree and disagree. Discuss the statement. Give reasons for your opinion. Use details and examples from your life experience and thinking. Try to speak for at least 3 minutes about each statement.

1. Boys and girls should attend separate schools.
2. Growing up in a big family is better than growing up in a small family.
3. Online classes are better than traditional classes taught in person.
4. Watching TV is a great way to learn English.

Pre-writing is useful for getting ideas and organizing them. So far, we have used two methods of pre-writing: clustering and making a list. A very efficient method of both brainstorming and organizing at the same time is making a rough outline. With this method, write your more general ideas to the left. On the next line, indent a little and put a bullet point next to a supporting idea. The farther to the right, the more specific your details should be.

Here is an example of a rough outline for the Why- question, “Why do some people choose not to get married?”

Not get married because:

• haven’t found right person
  • want perfect partner, ideal, waiting
    • Sharon: list
• choose career
  • demanding, stress, time
    • journalist, movies
  • satisfaction
• freedom
  • travel, move
    • Siska
  • make choices for self

Practice 6B

Choose TWO of the questions below. Write a rough outline as pre-writing. Be prepared to share your ideas with the class.

1. Why do people exercise? Write a paragraph that lists three reasons. Plan your support.
2. Is it better to grow up in a big family or a small family? Why do you think so? Give three reasons. Plan your support.
3. Is it better to get married when you are young (17-22), or should people wait until they are older (27 and up)? Why do you think so? Give three reasons. Plan your support.
4. Do you prefer to spend your free time outside or inside? Give reasons.
5. Many American high school students have a part-time job. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Why do you think so? Give three reasons for your opinion. Plan your support.

The topic sentence of a reasons paragraph should show the reader that you will discuss reasons. If you are supporting an opinion, the opinion should be clear in the topic sentence. Remember, a paragraph starts with the topic sentence. There should be only ONE sentence before you begin your first reason.

Practice 6C

In each pair, which is the better topic sentence for a reasons paragraph? Discuss your choices with a partner.

1. 1. I enjoy living in Ann Arbor for several reasons.
   2. I came to Ann Arbor in 2009, and I was surprised by how friendly the people were.
2. 1. Some people like to live in the city. Other people think the country is a nicer place to raise a family.
   2. There are several reasons why it is better to live in the country than in the city.
3. 1. I would prefer to take classes online for a few reasons.
   2. Nowadays, online classes are very popular. My friend got his degree online. I want to take online classes, too.

It is normal to use for a few reasons, for several reasons, or for three reasons in a topic sentence that will list reasons. Some writers can easily name the main idea of each reason in their topic sentences like this:

I enjoy living in Ann Arbor because of its diverse population, good educational opportunities, and green spaces.

Notice that because of is a preposition. It is followed by a list of nouns.

I enjoy living in Ann Arbor because it has a diverse population, good educational opportunities, and green spaces.

Notice that because starts a new clause. That is, it will need S V O.

Practice 6D

Fix the grammar in the following topic sentences.

1. There are some reason that I am studying English.
2. Florida is a great place to take a vacation, I go there for several reasons.
3. Working at a restaurant was difficult because the schedule, the customers, and the walking.
4. I want to travel to China because of it has good shopping, great food, and famous historical places.
5. I believe that high school student should not have ajob for few reason.

In Unit 3, we noticed that transition words help the reader follow a well-organized paragraph. Here is a list of some transition words that we have already used, and some new ones:

for the first reason: First, First of all, The first reason is [NOUN phrase] The first reason is that [S V O]	Examples: First, WCC has great teachers. First of all, WCC has great teachers. The first reason is the great teachers at WCC. The first reason is that WCC has great teachers.
for the second reason: Second, Secondly, The second reason is [NOUN phrase] The second reason is that [S V O]	Examples: Second, WCC has low tuition. Secondly, WCC has low tuition. The second reason is the low tuition at WCC. The second reason is that WCC has low tuition.
for the last reason: Finally, The last reason is [NOUN phrase] The last reason is that [S V O]	Examples: Finally, WCC has beautiful facilities. The last reason is WCC’s beautiful facilities. The last reason is that WCC has beautiful facilities.
for examples: For example, For instance, […] , such as […]. […], for example, […].	Examples: For example, the library is large and comfortable. For instance, the library is large and comfortable. There are beautiful places to walk, such as the Fitness Center and Community Park. There are beautiful places to walk, for example, the Fitness Center and Community Park.
for conclusions: In conclusion, To conclude, In sum, For all of these reasons, Because of [Nouns], S V O	Examples: In conclusion, WCC is a great choice for my English studies. To conclude, WCC is a great choice for my English studies. In sum, WCC is a great choice for my English studies. For all of these reasons, WCC is a great choice for my English studies. Because of its teachers, tuition, and facilities, WCC is a great choice for my English studies.

Practice 6E

Read the following paragraph. It is based on the rough outline example from earlier in this unit. Answer the questions that follow.

Some people decide not to get married for several reasons. First of all, maybe these people didn't meet the right person to marry. For example, my friend Sharon wants to marry someone who is smart, handsome, rich, and kind. She wants to wait until she falls in love with this perfect man, so she hasn't gotten married yet, and she is now 58 years old. Secondly, some people think getting married will take their focus away from their career. Some jobs require traveling or long hours at work. For instance, movie directors and journalists often have to travel for long periods of time, so marriage is difficult for those people. Finally, some people don't get married because they want total freedom. If you stay single, you can quit your job, move, date, and try many things without thinking of another person. For all of these reasons, some people decide not to get married.

1. What is the topic sentence? Underline it.
2. Underline the transition words that lead from one reason to the next.
3. Underline the conclusion sentence.

Practice 6F

The following are general reasons for paragraphs. Each reason needs more support. Add sentences with details or examples for each.

1. (for a paragraph about “Why do people have pets?”)

Topic sentence: There are several reasons why people get a pet.

REASON 1: First of all, people get pets if they are lonely.

SUPPORT:

REASON 2: Second, people get pets for exercise.

SUPPORT:

2. (for a paragraph about “Why do people listen to music?”)

Topic sentence: People listen to music for many reasons.

REASON 1: One reason is that music helps people stay happy while they do boring tasks.

SUPPORT:

REASON 2: Another reason is that music helps people have fun.

SUPPORT:

REASON 3: Finally, people listen to music to relax.

SUPPORT:

Practice 6G

In the following paragraph, the general reasons are missing. Only the details are given. Write the general reason. Remember to use transition words.

Getting There: Drive or Fly?

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When I take a vacation, I prefer to fly rather than drive. ____________________________________________________________________________. For example, driving to Florida takes 24 hours. It is impossible to drive straight through, especially if my children are coming. On the other hand, flying to Florida takes only three hours. ____________________________________________________________________________. For instance, if I drive to New York City, I will have to pay a lot for parking the whole time. However, if I fly, I will be able to enjoy the subway and train system without worrying about my car. ____________________________________________________________________________. There are far more car accidents than plane accidents. My safety while driving depends on many things: other drivers, the weather, the road, my tiredness. Flying is kind of worry-free for me in terms of safety. For all of these reasons, I would rather fly than drive to my vacation spot whenever possible.

Practice 6H

The following sentences belong in one paragraph about reasons. First, put the sentences in logical order. Put a “1” next to the first paragraph, a “2” next to the second sentence, and so on. Then write the paragraph on the lines below.

Question: Why do people get college degrees?

______ These people might major in art, philosophy, or other social sciences, but they don’t know what job they want.

______ Finally, some people get a college degree because of pressure from other people.

______ Maybe their parents want them to get a college degree, or all of their friends are getting a degree.

______ Second, some people get a college degree to show that they are educated.

______ For example, if you want to become a teacher, a lawyer, or an engineer, the first step is getting a college degree.

______ There are many reasons why people get college degrees.

______ They just want to learn, discuss things, and develop their minds in college.

______ All of these are reasons that people go to college and get degrees.

______ Many jobs require a higher education.

______ These people might not have their own reason to get a degree, but they choose to get one anyway.

______ First, people get college degrees because they want to get a good job.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What verb tense is used in the paragraph about “Why do people get a college degree?”

Remember, the simple present is used to make general statements. Other verb forms are used as needed. Examples about past experiences usually use simple past. Gerunds and infinitives might be found in sentences as subjects and objects. (See Appendix C.)

Practice 6I

Use one of your rough outlines from PRACTICE 6B. Write the rough draft of your paragraph for this topic. Double space your paragraph. Bring your paragraph to class for a peer review and feedback from your instructor.

Paragraphs about reasons often give support by showing a result. Imagine you are writing a paragraph about reasons that you would like to take online classes. You will need to give support with results:

I would like to take online classes because I live far away from WCC. I live far away from WCC, so I would like to take online classes.

I live over one hour from WCC. It is very hard for me to come to campus. As a result, I would like to take online classes.

Notice the punctuation of the sentences above. Here is a summary of the types of words that connect causes and effects:

Grammatical Term	Example	Rules to Remember
Coordinating Conjunction	The weather is terrible in Ann Arbor, so I dislike living here.	Put a comma before so. Don’t start a sentence with so. Don’t put a comma after it.
Subordinating Conjunction	I dislike living in Ann Arbor because the weather is terrible.	NO COMMA BEFORE BECAUSE
Two-word preposition	I dislike living in Ann Arbor because of the terrible weather.	No comma, No SVO after because of, just a noun or noun phrase
Transition word or phrase	Ann Arbor has long, cold winters and hot, humid summers. As a result, I dislike living here.	Usually starts a sentence. Capital letter followed by a comma. Other examples: Therefore, Thus.

Practice 6J

Practice using the three ways to connect causes and effects. Use the word in parentheses.

1. The movie has great actors. Watching it is a very emotional experience. (so)
2. My boss is very kind and flexible. Working for him is a pleasure. (as a result)
3. I avoid watching the news. It is depressing and confusing. (because)
4. I liked this book. It had amazing photos. (because of)

Practice 6K

Choose a book that you have read for this class. Write a short paragraph about why you liked or didn’t like the book. Your topic sentence should state your opinion and the title of the book. Underline the book’s title.

Example topic sentence: I liked Jane Eyre for many reasons.

Support your opinion with reasons. Remember that if you are summarizing parts of a fiction book, use simple present (narrative present: see Unit 4).

In the conclusion sentence of your paragraph, write whether or not you would recommend the book to others. Be specific if you think only some people would like it.

Example conclusion sentence: Jane Eyre is a wonderful book, and I recommend it to everyone. OR Pele is a great book, and I recommend it for soccer fans.

Attributions

Image 1:

“Good question” by Eric is licensed via Flickr under CC BY-ND 2.0. Image 2:

“Car Driving Blue Vehicle Transportation Drive” by Clker-Free-Vector-Images / 29595 images is licensed via Pixabay under CC0 1.0.

Image 3:

“Airplane Jet Plane Red Flying Aircraft Aeroplane” by Clker-Free-Vector-Images / 29595 images is licensed via Pixabay under CC0 1.0.